Read Online Kronberg Crimes 01 - The Devils Grin by Annelie Wendeberg - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Annelie Wendeberg
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stop.
‘Anna? Tha’ ya?’ a boy’s voice enquired.
‘No! Drat! I’m on a secret mission! I’m disguised as a lady, you idiot!’ I mocked him, trying to hold that snort in. Someone chuckled. I turned around and barked an unladylike laugh.
‘Ya can’t walk ’round like tha’!’ Barry said. Abruptly his concern changed to determination. ‘We give ya protection. Where’d ya wanna go?’ He said, walking up to me, showing his missing front teeth and offering a dirty sleeve.
‘M’lady?’ he said poignantly, trying a curtsy. I smiled, thanked him, and took the offered aid. The kids walked me two blocks to the next cab. I bowed to them for their services to ladyhood and took the hansom to Baker Street.
~~~
Mrs Hudson led me up the stairs and opened the door to Holmes’s rooms. Two men were occupying both armchairs. One was Holmes, who started coughing clouds of pipe smoke the moment I entered. The man next to him was moustached and stocky. He wore a wedding band that looked new. Both had their feet on the coffee table as I entered; they were comfortable together, good friends. I gathered this was Watson. I took off my hat, stepped closer, and offered him my hand.
‘Dr Watson I presume?’
He nodded and squeezed it lightly.
‘Yes,’ he coughed and gazed over my shoulder, as though he expected another visitor.
‘I am Anna Kronberg. It is a pleasure to meet you, Dr Watson.’ It was difficult to remain calm. Obviously, he had expected the male version of me. I wondered how I would wriggle out of this situation.
Watson offered me his chair with a wave of his arm.
‘Thank you, I was on my feet the whole day.’ I sat down. The coffee table would have done it, too, but my dress didn’t allow such frivolous seating arrangement.
‘My dear Watson, would you give us a few minutes of privacy, please?’ Holmes asked kindly.
‘But of course,’ replied Watson and retreated into the bedroom at once.
‘I am truly sorry,’ said Holmes quietly. ‘My friend was in the area and paid me a surprise visit. I told him whom I was expecting tonight and he was positively surprised and very much looking forward to meeting you in person. Naturally, I invited him to stay. I couldn’t know you would come without your usual disguise.’
‘I tricked myself,’ I noted dryly.
‘If I can make a recommendation,’ he said softly, ‘don’t lie to him. He is suspecting it since you introduced yourself and will have put two and two together by now. I can promise you that he will not give you away. I would entrust Watson with my life, if necessary.’
Holmes’s assuring smile only intensified my feeling of being trapped. ‘With how many of your friends did you plan to share my secret, Mr Holmes?’ I asked coldly.
His eyes narrowed and he replied in the same chilly tone, ‘I had not planned to share your secret with anyone. Although, I must admit, it was a mistake to assume you would, for your own sake, maintain the male masquerade, and not risk your career out of pure vanity.’
Outraged, I shot up from my seat. ‘Mr Holmes, I beg you to control yourself! My lifestyle is nothing I ever wish to discuss with you. I used to live quite safely before I met you.’
His gaze softened a fraction. ‘You are free to go.’
‘You know perfectly well that it is too late for that already,’ I replied. Huffing, I sank back into the armchair and rubbed my brow. ‘Dr Watson will surely be shocked,’ I remarked.
Holmes’s mouth twitched.
‘Wonderful!’ I said, trying to disguise the queasy feeling in my stomach.
At that, Holmes gave a single nod and shouted, ‘Watson, you may come back in.’
Watson emerged and Holmes said, ‘My dear friend, this is Dr Kronberg.’
The man was obviously shaken. He merely nodded, then sat down on the coffee table, as there was only that or the floor to sit upon and he needed something to support his buttocks momentarily.
‘You really mean to say that…? That this…?’ He
‘Anna? Tha’ ya?’ a boy’s voice enquired.
‘No! Drat! I’m on a secret mission! I’m disguised as a lady, you idiot!’ I mocked him, trying to hold that snort in. Someone chuckled. I turned around and barked an unladylike laugh.
‘Ya can’t walk ’round like tha’!’ Barry said. Abruptly his concern changed to determination. ‘We give ya protection. Where’d ya wanna go?’ He said, walking up to me, showing his missing front teeth and offering a dirty sleeve.
‘M’lady?’ he said poignantly, trying a curtsy. I smiled, thanked him, and took the offered aid. The kids walked me two blocks to the next cab. I bowed to them for their services to ladyhood and took the hansom to Baker Street.
~~~
Mrs Hudson led me up the stairs and opened the door to Holmes’s rooms. Two men were occupying both armchairs. One was Holmes, who started coughing clouds of pipe smoke the moment I entered. The man next to him was moustached and stocky. He wore a wedding band that looked new. Both had their feet on the coffee table as I entered; they were comfortable together, good friends. I gathered this was Watson. I took off my hat, stepped closer, and offered him my hand.
‘Dr Watson I presume?’
He nodded and squeezed it lightly.
‘Yes,’ he coughed and gazed over my shoulder, as though he expected another visitor.
‘I am Anna Kronberg. It is a pleasure to meet you, Dr Watson.’ It was difficult to remain calm. Obviously, he had expected the male version of me. I wondered how I would wriggle out of this situation.
Watson offered me his chair with a wave of his arm.
‘Thank you, I was on my feet the whole day.’ I sat down. The coffee table would have done it, too, but my dress didn’t allow such frivolous seating arrangement.
‘My dear Watson, would you give us a few minutes of privacy, please?’ Holmes asked kindly.
‘But of course,’ replied Watson and retreated into the bedroom at once.
‘I am truly sorry,’ said Holmes quietly. ‘My friend was in the area and paid me a surprise visit. I told him whom I was expecting tonight and he was positively surprised and very much looking forward to meeting you in person. Naturally, I invited him to stay. I couldn’t know you would come without your usual disguise.’
‘I tricked myself,’ I noted dryly.
‘If I can make a recommendation,’ he said softly, ‘don’t lie to him. He is suspecting it since you introduced yourself and will have put two and two together by now. I can promise you that he will not give you away. I would entrust Watson with my life, if necessary.’
Holmes’s assuring smile only intensified my feeling of being trapped. ‘With how many of your friends did you plan to share my secret, Mr Holmes?’ I asked coldly.
His eyes narrowed and he replied in the same chilly tone, ‘I had not planned to share your secret with anyone. Although, I must admit, it was a mistake to assume you would, for your own sake, maintain the male masquerade, and not risk your career out of pure vanity.’
Outraged, I shot up from my seat. ‘Mr Holmes, I beg you to control yourself! My lifestyle is nothing I ever wish to discuss with you. I used to live quite safely before I met you.’
His gaze softened a fraction. ‘You are free to go.’
‘You know perfectly well that it is too late for that already,’ I replied. Huffing, I sank back into the armchair and rubbed my brow. ‘Dr Watson will surely be shocked,’ I remarked.
Holmes’s mouth twitched.
‘Wonderful!’ I said, trying to disguise the queasy feeling in my stomach.
At that, Holmes gave a single nod and shouted, ‘Watson, you may come back in.’
Watson emerged and Holmes said, ‘My dear friend, this is Dr Kronberg.’
The man was obviously shaken. He merely nodded, then sat down on the coffee table, as there was only that or the floor to sit upon and he needed something to support his buttocks momentarily.
‘You really mean to say that…? That this…?’ He
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